_It’s because of the Blood (part-1)Hebrews 9:1-15We find that the book of Hebrews is titled "To the Hebrews," even though the letter simply begins with Jesus has appeared, atoned for our sins, and is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven (Hebrews 1:1-4). It is somewhat different from some of the other gospels in that the other gospels we started with, “Paul the apostle.”And the letter closes with the words "Grace be with you all" (Hebrews 13:25).Let’s look at the book of the Hebrews.Although some include the Book of Hebrews among the Apostle Paul's writings, what is missing is Paul's customary salutation common to his other works.It is also suggested that the writer of this epistle relied upon knowledge and information provided by others who were actual eye-witnesses of Christ Jesus in 2:3.Another possible writer of the Hebrews is Timothy who has written the book of Hebrews.Regardless of who the writer is, the Holy Spirit of God is the divine author of all Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16) “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”Therefore, Hebrews speaks with the same canonical authority as the other sixty-five books of the Bible.Because there is evidence showing the end of the Old Testament sacrificial system that occurred with Jerusalem's destruction in A.D. 70, it indicates the book of Hebrews was written around A.D. 65.The Purpose of this letter is to exhort those persecuted believers to continue in the grace of Jesus Christ.The Book of Hebrews addresses three separate groups: 1. Believers in Christ. 2. Unbelievers who had knowledge of and an intellectual acceptance of the facts of Christ. 3. And unbelievers who were attracted to Christ, but who rejected Him ultimately.

The Major Theme shows us the superiority of the Lord Jesus. Where Jesus became the new priest and this also indicated that there was a completed law.The theme shows us that Jesus is the “author and finisher of our faith”, in Hebrews 12:2. Also no other book so eloquently defines Christ as the high priest, (and New priesthood implies a new law) and the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.During Abraham’s time, the priest was Mel-chiz-e-dek.In Genesis 14:18-24, Melchizedek offers a sacrifice of bread and wine to Abram and Abram paid his tithes to him.

Now Christ therefore fulfilled the prophecy of Ps 110:4, that he would be a priest "after the order of Melchizedek," showing us that Jesus existed before creation and at the Last Supper, when he broke and shared bread with his disciples it showed the completion of the new priest order.

Here in Psalms 110:4, the Lord is to be a high priest—not a Levitical priest, (Levitical priests were commissioned by God, separated unto God, and were allowed to approach God. The Levitical priesthood began with the tribe of Levi and continued through the sons of the family of Aaron, according to Numbers 18:1, 8 and Exodus 28:1), and in the book of Hebrews it shows us a different kind of priest.Not only is there a new priest but a new covenant where Jesus is, for he is priest over the new covenant and the priest forever after Melchizedek.

Now, who was Mel-chiz-e-dek, he was a mysterious man, first spoken of in the book of Genesis, a priest without genealogy. He was a representative of the priestly line through which a future king of Israel's Davidic line was ordained.And this is said in Psalms 110:4.Melchizedek is mentioned twice in the Hebrew Bible, the first in Genesis and the second in psalms, also in Hebrews 7:1-2.The first mentioning, as part of the larger story of which tells how Abram returns from defeating king Chedorlaomer and meets with Bera the king of Sodom, and Abram paying his tithes to him, in Genesis 14:18-20.And we will see a connection between the Old and New Testament.The Old Covenant required continual sacrifices and a once-a-year atonement for sin offered by a human priest, the New Covenant provides a once-for-all sacrifice through Christ, Hebrews 10:10 and direct access to the throne of God for all who are in Him.Understanding The BloodWe find that the Blood of Jesus opens up another or new Sanctuary in 9:1.The first sanctuary was mentioned in Exodus 25:8.Or we will find that Jesus would be a priest after a different order. This new order was opened up because God had always wanted to be with his people or wanted a new covenant.

Therefore, in this order to create that new covenant or to dwell with human God had to robe himself in the flesh to dwell just to dwell with us.We find that God had wanted to build His tabernacle with His people, or dwell in his people, according to scripture in;

In Genesis God had dwelled with man, in Genesis 3:8-9 he was in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.

The call of Abraham, that God will be with him, Gen.12:1-3

Reason why Israel was brought out of Egypt was for God to dwell with them, in Ex. 29:45-46.

In the Tabernacle the cloud was so thick that Moses could not go in, inn Ex. 40:35.

After the Temple was build, God promise to live among the people in 1 Kings 6:11-13.

And now in this time God still dwell among us and in us, in Revelation 7:15 & 21:2-4.

So it is because God wanted to dwell among his people, that he established a new covenant which was put into place.And since Jesus has become the high priest, he gave us the privilege also into the priesthood, in (1-Peter 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;).For us to understand that it’s all because of the blood.We will see that in Hebrews 9, we find that the author is describing how things were in the tabernacle.It was the tabernacle that God gave to Moses and the children of Israel that he will dwell with them, in Exodus 25:8.But most importantly was the testimony which was God allowing them to come out of Egypt into the promise land, in exodus 25:16.But since sin entered the world and separated us from God, God had wanted to come back and dwell with man.Therefore, from the inception, it was God’s desire to change the first covenant, where men were making sacrifices of dove and lamb foreshadowing the sacrificial lamb, “Jesus Christ.”Jesus became the sacrificial lamb or high priest (High priest means, beginning, origin, the person or thing that commences the first person or thing in a series, the leader).Now, since Jesus became the high priest there are several noticeable things that the blood does for an individuals.Next week we will deal with the noticeable things that the blood does in an individual’s life.